Jay Bennett R.I.P

[jkretz]

This whole situation really reminds me of how hard it is for musicians and other artists to get access to affordable health care. I worry a great deal about my musician friends who can't get insurance through an employer and can't afford to buy their own insurance plans. I've seen too many injuries and illnesses go untreated or get ignored until someone ends up at Cook County Hospital in the emergency room.

 

I also have a close friend who struggles with his pain killer dosage for the pain from coping with stage 4 sarcoma. The cancer is in his muscles, liver, lungs, spine and bones and is breaking his bones. He is in his 20s and did not have health insurance when he was diagnosed. With severe pain, you need to go to the hospital at times to get help managing the proper dosage. Without health insurance, you might be forced to try to cope on your own. My friend is lucky that he has friends who work in the medical field and in social services. They helped him find ways to get access to medical care despite lacking coverage. He was put into clinical trials at a university hospital and gets good care. Accessing that sort of care is more difficult for a heath problem such as an injury or chronic pain.

 

I guess my point is that this sort of sad situation is all too common due to the lack of access to affordable health care. Artists and young people often have no choice but to go without coverage and the results can be tragic.

 

Does anyone know of a good charity that helps provide musicians with access to affordable health care? Perhaps a donation to such a fund would be a good way to honor Jay.

 

the number of musicians without health care really is insane, and unfortunate. i'm surprised there is not an organization that provides discounted health care to musicians / artists / etc... already...

 

this whole situation with jay really bums me out. he's gonna be missed to say the least.

[cooperissup3r]

there is an organization out there that provides health care for musicians and artists isn't there? you have to make like minimum of 4K a year or something to be covered by them.

[jff]

 

 

Does anyone know of a good charity that helps provide musicians with access to affordable health care? Perhaps a donation to such a fund would be a good way to honor Jay.

 

That's a great idea.

 

There's a place in Athens, Georgia called Nuci's Space that helps out musicians and artists. Nuci Phillips was an Athens musician who suffered from depression and committed suicide, and Nuci's Space was opened by his parents after his death. Their focus, naturally, is on depression and psycholigical issues, but they offer a number of services to the communuity.

 

http://www.nuci.org/

[Wendy]

http://www.sweetrelief.org/

 

Sweet Relief was founded by singer-songwriter Victoria Williams in 1993. Victoria, while on a career-making tour with Neil Young was forced to drop off mid-schedule after experiencing unexplained debilitating symptoms. A long and painful diagnostic process revealed she had multiple sclerosis.

 

After her diagnosis, a group of friends assembled an all-star album of Victoria’s songs, Sweet Relief, which alleviated much of her medical debt. Vic, knowing that there are many musicians like her - -unable to afford medical expenses and compromised in their ability to work- - donated some of her proceeds from the album to found Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. The name of the fund derives from a song of Victoria’s, Opelousas (Sweet Relief) and the fact that we do provide sweet relief in the form of financial assistance to many musicians who would otherwise be in untenable predicaments.

 

In 1994 Sweet Relief was incorporated as a nonprofit charity and by September of that year was distributing grants to needy artists.

 

Many prominent musicians, professionals and music fans have rallied enthusiastically behind the Fund, staging benefits in venues from Miami to Seattle, with performances donated by hundreds of both established and emerging artists. Nightclubs, concert halls, radio stations, internet sites, restaurants, clothing and shoe companies, music retailers, athletes, actors and many others have all chosen Sweet Relief as their charity of choice.

 

Key events included a second top selling album and concert, an MTV 120 Minutes special on the fund, annual fundraising events as well as a continual press and media coverage. Our list of supporters is one of the most extensive in the nonprofit world and continues to expand.

 

Sweet Relief, in addition to our long tenured relationships, is focused on growing our charitable voice within the youth market. Social networking, forums, portals and internet partnerships are currently being developed to make Sweet Relief a charity of choice for young and old alike.

 

Millions of dollars have been raised and scores of artists have found the help they need through Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. Now, as much as ever, we are the charity that musicians reach out to help them find healing, shelter and sustenance.

 

Who do we help?

 

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. Grant recipients include recording artists, club and session musicians, composers & songwriters from across the country. From Classical to punk, jazz to country, reggae to blues and everything in between, Sweet Relief is there to help the musician in need.

 

How do we help?

 

Since inception Sweet Relief has served the music community by helping musicians with medical and living expenses including insurance premiums, prescriptions, housing costs, food costs and alternative therapies and treatments that are not covered by insurance.

 

Sweet Relief works to help determine a musicians most pressing needs. We are also a member of the Entertainment Assistance Coalition and can help in finding additional sources of funding to provide the most complete assistance possible.

 

Even if a grant recipient has private or publicly funded healthcare they often require assistance, and Sweet Relief is there to help. We have aided people suffering from a wide range of conditions including: AIDS/HIV, spinal cord injury, STD’s, hearing impairments, strokes and head injuries, diabetes, kidney failure, alcoholism and chemical dependency, repetitive stress injuries, mental illness and psychological disorders, cystitis, heart defects, Hepatitis.

 

To qualify for assistance, applicants must clearly show that they have spent at least three years actively pursuing a musical career, are in financial need, and have a diagnosis of a serious medical condition.

 

We also help elderly musicians, regardless of medical condition, who are having trouble making ends meet

 

Why do we help?

 

Music has made all of our lives, and the events in our lives special and memorable. While fame and fortune are found by few, most musicians remain in the field for love and passion of music. What they give up is financial security and a safety net when health and age take a negative toll. Sweet Relief acts as a conduit for society to help the artist who has brightened our lives and souls by helping them in their greatest time of need.

[mpolak21]

Vibes again to his friends and family, at least now they know the reason behind it. Damn shame.

 

--Mike

[choo-choo-charlie]

Oops...sorry admins/moderators. Didn't mean to try and start a new topic...thought this one was over.

 

*According to Billboard/AP, Jay Bennett's death was due to an overdose on painkillers.

 

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/ex-wilco-member-jay-bennett-died-of-overdose-1003986858.story

[Dude]

Had Jay ever had his surgery? I saw someone on VC stated he had, but I haven't seen anything confirming that.

[Wendy]

No he did not have the surgery (look back a few posts for the statement made by his friend, Bob Andrews, from his label, Undertow Music).

 

http://forums.viachicago.org/topic/40162-jay-bennett-r-i-p/page__view__findpost__p__1339923

[Dude]

No he did not have the surgery (look back a few posts for the statement made by his friend, Bob Andrews, from his label, Undertow Music).

 

http://forums.viachicago.org/topic/40162-jay-bennett-r-i-p/page__view__findpost__p__1339923

 

Sorry, didn't see that - thanks.

[thermocaster]

Oops...sorry admins/moderators. Didn't mean to try and start a new topic...thought this one was over.

 

*According to Billboard/AP, Jay Bennett's death was due to an overdose on painkillers.

 

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/ex-wilco-member-jay-bennett-died-of-overdose-1003986858.story

 

Ugh. That's terrible to hear. It hits home for me...my dad was prescribed Fentanyl, along with a boatload of other pain management drugs. They never really did much more than temporarily mask things, and the danger of overdose was always there.

 

Pretty safe to say he wasn't looking to go out like that. RIP...hope you found peace, Jay.

[ginandcigarettes]

Oops...sorry admins/moderators. Didn't mean to try and start a new topic...thought this one was over.

 

*According to Billboard/AP, Jay Bennett's death was due to an overdose on painkillers.

 

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/ex-wilco-member-jay-bennett-died-of-overdose-1003986858.story

 

God, this hit me like a brick. I don't know what I was expecting to hear about the cause of death, but whatever reason this particular news really depressed me. I guess because it means that he was in pain, and I can't stand the idea.

 

I don't know if this was mentioned, but right when Summerteeth was released, Jay and Jeff did a DJ session at KCRW in Santa Monica, California, in advance of their show there. They played a bunch of songs, some that influenced Summerteeth, and some they just liked. One of the songs was Elvis Costello's "Sleep of the Just" and Jay joked that he sings the song to himself every night. Goodnight Jay. Sleep the sleep of just.

[yankhotelfox]

One of those damn Fentanyl patches almost killed me too. You have to learn to maintain your addiction, you never know when that line will get crossed.

 

If you don't know when that line will get crossed, how can you possibly "maintain" an addiction?

[MattZ]

One of the songs was Elvis Costello's "Sleep of the Just" and Jay joked that he sings the song to himself every night. Goodnight Jay. Sleep the sleep of just.

 

Jesus christ. My heart is in my throat. I don't think I will ever hear that song the same way again. You've just simultaneously ruined and immortalized the song for me.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

This news of the cause of death has hit me in two very different ways.

 

The cynical, jaded, judgemental part of me says "another junkie rock star who played russian roulette with fate and lost"..I don't like that Crow.

 

My better angel side wonders at the tragic turn his life took. Not knowing Jay, I can only guess at the pain that became his constant companion and wonder if this pain may have exacerbated the personality quirks that led to his dismissal from Wilco.

 

I hate that he died so young and in pain. I hate that he was unable to stay a member of the band that has been consuming my attention for fourteen years.

 

I wonder why it seems that the most talented and inspired Rock Musicians often have demons chasing them. Is the old saw that one must be a tortured artist to make the most compelling music ACTUALLY true?

 

It is a tragedy. But these things happens millions of times a day. It is more poignant for us because he was somebody we 'knew'. His death is no more or less important because he was an artist. It is important to US because we (in varying degrees) appreciated the man's music both with Jeff Tweedy and without.

 

I think I'll hoist a cold beverage and listen to Summerteeth tonight in his memory. Then I will write my congressman urging that Health Care reform be the number one issue.

[rockinrob]

This news of the cause of death has hit me in two very different ways.

 

The cynical, jaded, judgemental part of me says "another junkie rock star who played russian roulette with fate and lost"..I don't like that Crow.

 

My better angel side wonders at the tragic turn his life took. Not knowing Jay, I can only guess at the pain that became his constant companion and wonder if this pain may have exacerbated the personality quirks that led to his dismissal from Wilco.

 

I hate that he died so young and in pain. I hate that he was unable to stay a member of the band that has been consuming my attention for fourteen years.

 

I wonder why it seems that the most talented and inspired Rock Musicians often have demons chasing them. Is the old saw that one must be a tortured artist to make the most compelling music ACTUALLY true?

 

It is a tragedy. But these things happens millions of times a day. It is more poignant for us because he was somebody we 'knew'. His death is no more or less important because he was an artist. It is important to US because we (in varying degrees) appreciated the man's music both with Jeff Tweedy and without.

 

I think I'll hoist a cold beverage and listen to Summerteeth tonight in his memory. Then I will write my congressman urging that Health Care reform be the number one issue.

 

 

This has nothing to do with a junkie rock star. It is all about a man with a serious, debilitating condition that caused extreme pain being forced to take a powerful and dangerous drug to control that pain. They have had issues before with these patches leaking too much medicine and killing the wearer, and also I believe if you leave one on for too long it can also kill you. Fentanyl is very strong stuff, mostly given to cancer patients.

 

 

 

Its just really sad to me that he couldnt have had this fixed a long time ago.

 

You'll be missed jay.

[bjorn_skurj]

This news of the cause of death has hit me in two very different ways.

 

The cynical, jaded, judgemental part of me says "another junkie rock star who played russian roulette with fate and lost"..I don't like that Crow.

 

My better angel side wonders at the tragic turn his life took. Not knowing Jay, I can only guess at the pain that became his constant companion and wonder if this pain may have exacerbated the personality quirks that led to his dismissal from Wilco.

 

I hate that he died so young and in pain. I hate that he was unable to stay a member of the band that has been consuming my attention for fourteen years.

 

I wonder why it seems that the most talented and inspired Rock Musicians often have demons chasing them. Is the old saw that one must be a tortured artist to make the most compelling music ACTUALLY true?

 

It is a tragedy. But these things happens millions of times a day. It is more poignant for us because he was somebody we 'knew'. His death is no more or less important because he was an artist. It is important to US because we (in varying degrees) appreciated the man's music both with Jeff Tweedy and without.

 

I think I'll hoist a cold beverage and listen to Summerteeth tonight in his memory. Then I will write my congressman urging that Health Care reform be the number one issue.

Well said.

[In a little rowboat]

Just my gut, my feeling is that there was more pain than physical...he never should have been on that prescription, esp if he hadnt had the surgery yet

[schoenfraun]

Just my gut, my feeling is that there was more pain than physical...he never should have been on that prescription, esp if he hadnt had the surgery yet

 

I know y'all are here to be able to talk openly and say what's on your minds...but again, consider following Bob Andrews' advice and don't spread rumors or bother with speculations when, in fact, you may know nothing.

 

Jay's friends (like me) and family miss him terribly. This is very hard for us. I like to visit this forum and read other folks' blogs and posts because I'm seeking to validate my hope that people really did love Jay's work and recognize his immense talents.

 

So it's hard to face people's comments when they're negative, or when they're purely speculative, as the one above. I hate to pick on the one dude here, but....

 

Jay had chronic hip pain for years. It was quite deteriorated. He was using the patches as prescribed. Many of you may be aware of the recent recalls of this product due to manufacturers' defects that caused the gel to leak from the patch. Contact with the gel can be fatal. We don't know if the patch he last used was defective or not. We don't know anything about it. It's possible he could have punctured it himself when trying to take it out of the package or put it on. We don't know anything like that at this time. It's just sad because it seems like something that, clearly, did not have to happen.

 

And, again, to put the insurance "thing" to rest: Jay did have insurance, but the corporation considered his hip injury to be a pre-existing condition, and so they chose not to pay for any part of it. His insurance dilemma could happen to any one of us and likely will; his encounter with Big Pharma, churning out these problematic patches year after year, lawsuit after lawsuit, also may happen to us or our loved ones, too.

 

It's hard to read comments like the one above because, while the member's heart may be in the right place, he shouldn't be making such statements unless he's Jay's physician. His parents, other family, and friends are still out there and still dealing with this enormous loss. I can't even tell you how hard this is for us.

 

Just keep him in your (good) thoughts, when you can. Listen to the music he gave us and enjoy it. We miss him.

[M. (hristine]

Thank you for the reminder, schoenfraun. Sometimes we forget that behind the typed words on this flickering page, float hearts beating inside of flesh and bones.

 

So sorry for your loss.

[sweetheart-mine]

Just my gut, my feeling is that there was more pain than physical...he never should have been on that prescription, esp if he hadnt had the surgery yet

not wanting to pick on just one comment either, but this expresses the opposite of what in reality is often the case. anyone who has had a serious ruptured disc, for example, or countless other injuries or long-term deteriorating conditions (such as jay bennett unfortunately clearly had), can tell you that it is *before* the surgery when painkillers are needed, often to make life just barely livable -- just barely. after surgery, if it's successful you need almost nothing and for a very short time. and you're thrilled with that result. not much in life is more miserable than having nonstop severe pain and needing painkillers for it, which don't even really kill the pain. they just remove you from it a little bit. it's still there. the main tragedy here is that jay bennett's insurance company wouldn't cover a surgery that stood a good chance of relieving his pain and making medication unnecessary.

[kidsmoke]

Thank you, schoenfraun, and well put, M. Chris & sweetheart-mine. I guess we can't help but wonder about the circumstances, within our own minds, because we cared about the man and his music. But it is speculation, and as such is inappropriate and can be incredibly hurtful to those close to Jay the person, who was so much more than just a public figure. Before you post, try to pause and imagine if he had been your own family member...and then if you feel hesitant to post what you were going to, that's your good instincts kicking in, so listen to them.

 

I just feel so much regret that he was in such intense pain for so long. I'm sure he is on to a better place now, without pain and with plenty of music.

[caliber66]

Just my gut, my feeling is that there was more pain than physical...he never should have been on that prescription, esp if he hadnt had the surgery yet

Funny, your Myspace link doesn't mention where you got your Pharm.D.

[JerseyMike]

This has nothing to do with a junkie rock star. It is all about a man with a serious, debilitating condition that caused extreme pain being forced to take a powerful and dangerous drug to control that pain. They have had issues before with these patches leaking too much medicine and killing the wearer, and also I believe if you leave one on for too long it can also kill you. Fentanyl is very strong stuff, mostly given to cancer patients.

 

I hate to jump into this thread in this manner, because I know we are all trying to be respectful, but we need to be adults and look at this without the idol worship. Its quite apparent from reading "learning to die" and the various quotes from people about Jay since his passing, especially the guy from Blues Traveler, and just seeing the way he acted the few times I saw him in public that Jay had been addicted to pain medication for a long time. Plus, a degenerating hip at that age is a sign of alchoholism and/or drug abuse (see Eddie Van Halen) I have been around a lot of junkies in my life, and it sucks to see someone go down that road, but thats were he went. Its sad.

[Guest Jules]

I hate to jump into this thread in this manner, because I know we are all trying to be respectful, but we need to be adults and look at this without the idol worship. Its quite apparent from reading "learning to die" and the various quotes from people about Jay since his passing, especially the guy from Blues Traveler, and just seeing the way he acted the few times I saw him in public that Jay had been addicted to pain medication for a long time. Plus, a degenerating hip at that age is a sign of alchoholism and/or drug abuse (see Eddie Van Halen) I have been around a lot of junkies in my life, and it sucks to see someone go down that road, but thats were he went. Its sad.

 

No you don't.

[Guest Speed Racer]

because I know we are all trying to be respectful

 

Not all of us, apparently. New frontrunner for Insensitive and Pointless Post of 2009.